Finger sponge device



April 20, 1943. N, NDAL L, 2,316,878

FINGER SPONGE DEVICE Filed Oct. 5, 1940 FTel 2 5 FTG 2 3 HM INVENTOR.NICK MAN DA L OU ATTORNEX Patented Apr. 20, 1943 F UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE FINGER SPONGE DEVICE Nick Mandalou, New York, N. Y.

Application October 3, 1940, Serial No. 359,477

6 Claims.

My invention relates to handles or holders for finger sponges andparticularly to the means of securing the parts of the fingers of thefinger sponge to the holder or handle, and has among its purposes andobjects to provide:

A securing means for handles and holders which engage the relativelyhard center or core of fingers of finger sponges.

A handle for finger sponges.

A handy means of using parts of the fingers of finger sponges.

A moistener or dauber comprising finger sponge.

I accomplish these and other objects by the construction hereindescribed and shown in the accompanying drawing forming a part hereof inwhich:

Fig. l is a perspective view and elevation of a typical finger sponge.

Fig. 2 is an elevation and partial section of a simple form of handle.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view of a fragment of one of the fingers of thefinger sponge secured by adhesives to an envelope opener or paper cutterhandle.

Fig. 4 is an elevation and partial section of the end of one of thefingers of the finger sponge secured by a pin to the stopper or handle.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view of a bottle or other container and a handlestopper secured to a fragment of a finger of a finger sponge.

Fig. 6 is an elevation and partial section of a handle and a part of afinger of a finger sponge secured at each end.

Figs. 7 and 8 are fragmentary details of a moistener and desk set fountfor finger sponges.

Fig. 9 is an elevation of a simple dauber and stopper handle.

Fig. 10 is a detail of a cork screw type of finger sponge securingmeans.

Fig. 11 is an elevation and partial section of a stopper handle bored toreceive the hard core of the finger of a finger sponge as a means ofsecuring the handle.

Fig. 12 is an elevation of a finger sponge moistener and desk set, apart of which is detailed in Figs. 7 and 8.

Fig. 13 is an elevation of a handle fount or moistener using the end ofa finger of the finger sponge.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout theseveral views of the drawing and in the specification to follow.

The finger sponge which is abundant in the ocean and bays in and nearthe shores of the United States is of fine texture and its surface issomewhat similar to the silk sponge of the Mediterranean Sea and in somerespects is superior for uses which require a very fine soft surface.Finger sponges have not found a large a part of the commercial market inthe past because each finger has a core or stem of relative hardnesswhich, unless positioned or covered, would damage the skin or othersurface over which it may be rubbed.

In my application for patent filed August 13, 1940, Serial No. 352,400,I have disclosed the use of the fingers of finger sponges in a pad ordevice in which a plurality of parts of the fingers are secured togetherand soarranged that the cores are exposed at the ends only. The face orsides present the soft fine texture of the sponge surface.

The sides of the fingers and the sharp end edge of the cut off fingerserve to apply shoe polish or shoe white close to a line or the edge ofthe surface of the shoe or other article to which liquid is applied. Theextremely absorbent nature of the sponge fingers thus holds a maximum ofliquid and thus as a dauber for shoe conditioning and cleansing, theliquid is evenly applied without causing the surface of the shoe tobecome wet or to leak through perforated shoes. For moistening gummedadhesive surfaces such as labels, envelopes, etc. the moisture is evenlydistributed in the desired amount with my sponge, and to facilitate itsuse, I have provided various types of handles and holders a will bebetter understood after a study of the specification to follow.

In the specification, I have disclosed in detail several ways the spongefinger may be secured to the handle or holder. The detailedconstructions herein disclosed are not for the purpose of limiting myinvention to such details, as persons skilled in the art to which thisinvention pertains may modify the construction within the scope of theappended claims without departing from the principles underlying myinvention, of which this disclosure is an embodiment, illustrating theapplication of my invention.

Referring to the drawing and particularly Fig. 1, a typical fingersponge is illustrated. The

fingers l vary in size and from outward appearance are characteristic inbranching out from a main stem and from branches thereof, each fingerterminating in a rounded end 2.

Within each finger I is'a stem or core 3 which, though harder than thefibrous and cellular structure surrounding it, is absorbent. The stemand its surrounding sponge formation appears to blend into the structurewithout a dividing or destructive change at a fixed zone except that thedensity of the sponge is so much greater at its center as to feel hardby comparison. The core or stem reinforces the finger and is stiffenough to hold the finger from being easily bent for a substantiallength. The core thus provides a stem which, when secured to a handle 4,firmly holds the handle in its securement thereto.

At the rounded ends of each finger, the stem absorbent material which,if secured to a handle would require reinforcing to resist bending, mysponge devices are reinforced by the natural core and its securement tothe handle.

In Fig. 2 of the drawing, I have shown a part 6 of the finger I cutperpendicular to the core 3 at both ends. The pointed end 7 of the sprue8, which may be any long stick serving as the handle I, is forced intothe center of one end of the exposed core 3. V

Fig. 3 shows a handle which may be an envelope opener or paper cutter 9which is provided with a flat end surface I to which the adhesive I I isapplied to receive and secure the end of the core and also the spongyend surface of the cut off piece 60f the finger I.

Figs. 4 and 5 show a stopper I2and handle I3 which may be used for abottle or other container I4. In Fig. 4, I have shown the end piece I5of one of the fingers I secured to the handle stopper by means of a pinI6 forced into the stopper and also into the core 3 which is not exposedat the end 2, thereby presenting a soft rounded end surface as well assoft side surfaces. In Fig. 5, the sponge body issecured to the stopperby the sharp end' I! being forced into the core 3 of the'finger.

In Fig. 6, I have shown a piece 6 of one of the fingers I secured to thehandle I8 by means of the'two eends I9 and being forced into the core .3at each 'of'its exposed ends. The ends I9 and 20 may be the ends of awire 2! which is secured to the handle at a point between said ends andso shaped as to provide a bifurcated extension to said handle andthereby providing 3, mois tener .for sealing envelopes or for moisteninglabels or other surfaces. I

In Figs. 7 and 8, I have shown a similar mo1stener to the one shown inFig. 6. The sponge body is secured at its ends by forcing the fastenerpins 22 and 23 into the exposed ends of the core 3;.

The fasteners are also secured to the ends ofthe handle 24 whichf'may berecessed on its surface adjacent to the piece of the finger to cover theupper half of said pieceand also the fount 2t into which liquid mayenter through the apertures 26 from the hollow chamber of base 21 of athe. deskset 28, also shown in Fig. 12..

In Fig. 9, I have shown a 'dauber which may have as itshandle-the'stopper 29 which is provided with a long wire connection 30secured at one end to said stopper and at its other end to the pieces byforcingthe wire through the entire length of the core 3 and bending theend 3I 'over to hook into the end of the core.

Fig. 10 shows a dauber which may be similar to the one shown in Fig. 9exceptthat the wire may be bent into a cork screw 3| at theend to whichthe piece 32 is.secured. The piece 32 of'the finger may have one of itsends cut' on a bias to provide a sharper point 33 for coating ormoistening surfaces close to a line or corner. The cork screw formed endmay be forced by turning aroundthe core 3to firmly hold the piece ofsponge finger to the handle. v i

secure the handle with liquid. The sleeve is preferably provided with aninternal pin held to one end of the sleeve by the cross member 4| toprovide an open passage for liquid tothe piece.l5 of the sponge finger,thus keeping said piece moistened. The handle serves as a reservoir forthis type fountain moistener or dauber. The pin 40 engages and securesthe sponge piece securely into the sleeve stopper by being forced intothe core 3 of the sponge piece. I

Sponge pieces of the finger sponge are thus held and secured to handlesof various types and the device so combined may be useful for manypurposes, some of which are herein illustrated. The appended claims set.forth my invention.

I claim:

1. In anabs-orbent device, a piece of spongy material having .arelatively dense hard axial core decreasing in density radially awayfrom said core, handle means and means securing said handle means tosaid core to secure said spongy piece to said handle means. V

2. In a spon y device, a piece of spongy ma-. terial having a relativelydense hard axialccre decreasing in density radially away from said core,handle means and a pin secured to said handle means and forced into saidcore to secure said piece to saidhandle means.

3. In a spongy device. a piece of spongy ,ma terial having a relativelydense hard axial core decreasing in density radially away from saidcore, handle means and end secured to said handle means and its oppositeend engaging'said piece by engaging said core.

4. In a spongy device, a piece of spongy material having a relativelydense hard axial core decreasing in density radially away from saidcore, handle, means and a sleeve stopper and pin V secured centrallywithin said sleeve stopper and engaging said sponge core.

5. In a moistening device, handlefmeans having a liquid reservoirtherein, a sleeve stopper closing the open end of said handle means, and

an absorbent piece having a relatively hard dense 6. In a moisteningdevice, an absorbent piece having a relatively harder gressively softerand less ture surrounding said core, handle means comprising a pair offastener pins for engaging both exposed ends, of said core in saidpiece.

dense core and a pro- NICK MANDALOU...

The spongy the end 36 stopper 39 closing its.

a wire having its one dense integral struc-'

